Mail-box.



Patented lluly I6, IQOI. W. U. RUWE.

MAIL B0X.

(Application led Oct. 24, 1900.)

@Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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ws Nonms rEYiRs co. Pnoaumo., wAsmNGYommt.

NU. 678,693. Patented July I6, |90i.

-7 By Mal 4 EYS ma Nonms News co., moraummwksnmmow, n, c.

WESLEY O. ROWE, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARGARET E. ROWE, OF SAME PLACE.

MAIL-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,693, dated July 16, 190i. Application tiled October 24, 1900. Serial No. 34,168. (No model.)

.To all whom. it may cm1/cern:

Be it known that LWESLEY O. ROWE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented anew and Improved Mail-Box, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in street letter-boxes; and the object is to provide in connection with the box a simple means for canceling the postage-stamp and otherwise marking the envelop while passing the same into the box.

I will describe a mail-box embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference'indi; cate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective View of a letterbox to which my invention is attached. Fig. 2 is a front view with the lid open. Fig. 3 is a section on the line .rae of Fig. 2, and Fig. l shows the canceling-roller.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a box substantially of the usual construction, having an opening in its front near the top, which isnormally closed by a segmental co ver or lid 2. At its ends this lid 2 is provided with arms 3, through which the pivots 4 eX'- tend. Arranged within the box at the lower portion of the opening is a canceling-roller 5, having attached to it, as here shown near one end, a ribbed canceling-pad 6, and it is also provided with openings in which rubber type may be placed indicating the date and time of depositing a letter, (itc. Below the roller 5 is a feed-roller 7. These rollers 5 and 7 are mounted to yield one relatively to the other, so as to accommodate the same to the thickness of the letter that may be passed between them. As here shown, the roller 5 has bearings in blocks mounted in standards 8, and above the blocks are springs 9. An inking-roller 10 is mounted in arms extended inward from the standards S and is designed to supply ink to the canceling device. On the ends of the shaft of the roller 5 are pinions l1, which are engaged by segmental racks 12,

an envelop and its contents.

connected to the downwardly-extended portions of the arms 3.

In operation the lid 2 is to be swung upward, as indicated in Fig. 2. Then the envelop, or rather the edge thereof, is to be 5 5 placed between the two rollers 5 and T, so that the stamp may pass underneath the caneeling portion. Then by moving the lid 2 to its closing position or permitting it to fall by gravity the racks l2 will rotate the roller 5, 6o consequently feeding the envelop into the box and during the movement thereof the stamp will be canceled and the-other matter printed upon the envelop.

Instead of having the racks engaged with the pinions on the canceling-roller it is obvious that the pinions may be placed in con nection with-the feed-roller and the racks en; gaged therewith.

To prevent tampering with the rollers or 7o the insertion of a persons hand into the boX,

a shield 13 is provided and rigidly connected to the box, there being a sufficient space underneath the same to permit the passage of This shieldl at a point adjacent the canceling devices will be provided with an opening 14C, movable over which is a swinging cover l5. This opening 14 is to permit of a mailcollector or other authorized person changing the type on the 8o roller 5 as occasion may require.

It will be noted that the operation of canceling a postage-stamp by this machine is practically automatic and that obviously it lwill save the time and expense now required for canceling stam ps in the usual manner after collecting the letters;

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A mail-box, having au opening, a swing,rm ing lid for the opening, arms on the ends of said lid through which the pivots pass, acanceling-roller in the box, a feed-roller in the box, a pinion on one of said rollers, and a 95 curved rack extended from one of the arms and engaging with said pinion, substantially as specified.

2. A mail-box having an opening, a swinging lid therefor, a canceling-roller arranged reo in the box, oanceling'devioes on said roller, a feed-roller arranged below the cancelingroller, an inking-roller adapted for engagement with the canceling devices, pinions on the shaft of the canceling-roller, and racks moved by movements of the lid and engaging with said pnions, substantially as specified.

3. A mail-box having an opening, a segmental @over or ylid for said opening, the said cover or lid having swinging connection with the box, segment-racks carried by the lid, a canceling-roller arrangedwithin the box and having yielding bearings, canceling devices on said roller, pinions on the shaft of said roller for engaging with the racks, an inking# roller, and a feed-roller arranged below the Canceling-roller, substantially as specified.

4. A mail-box having an opening, a swinging lid for the opening, a xed shield-plate having a space below' it through which mailmatter may be passed, a canceling-roller arranged within the box, the lower portion of said roller being substantially in line with Said opening underneath the plate, canceling devices on said roller, a feed-roller, and means operated bya closing movement of the lid for operatin g Said rollers, substantially as.

specified. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WESLEY O. RO WE.

lVitnesses:

EDNA H. Rown, CLAUDE D. ROWE. 

